king diamond!!!

I imagine everyone has their favourite artist or band and their own stories for why they mean so much to them. I'm certainly no different. When I was younger, between the ages of 13 to 18, music was extremely important to me. It was how I expressed myself and dealt with all the emotions I was feeling, some of them dark and painful. But just as in real life, I had trouble finding where I fit in musically. There were things I liked, but there wasn't anything I truly loved until I found King Diamond​.

My first exposure to King Diamond was the music video for "Egypt." I'd never heard nor seen anything quite like it. I was immediately drawn towards the overt mythological and occult overtones; but I was completely captivated by King Diamond himself. His theatrical and almost operatic vocal range, which could go from hauntingly low and demonic to piercingly high shrieks and screams. His makeup, black and white and completely over-the-top, upside down cross and all, yet somehow still sinister. His lyrics, invoking Osiris, Anubis, and Ammit, and centred around one’s fate in the afterlife. The moment I saw that video, I knew I'd found my musical soulmate. It was love at first sight.

I was already familiar with the flamboyant and controversial philosophy of Anton LeVey by then (I mean, what rebellious preteen could resist picking up The Satanic Bible at their local bookstore?), and King Diamond personified it to a T. His music and its occult subject matter, combined with his distinctive look and its liberal use of black leather and satanic symbolism, further stoked my rebelliousness against the conservative, Judeo-Christian culture that dominated Michigan suburbia, inspiring me to foster my own individuality rather than suppress it in order to conform with what was expected of me, and to explore the possibilities of what might lie on 'the other side.'

While I'd later move away from LeVey's philosophy, finding a better spiritual fit first in the likes of Aleister Crowley and later in Buddhism and Christian mysticism, it nevertheless helped me survive high school without losing myself or my mind. It helped me to find pride in myself, and to find strength in the things that set me apart from everyone else. As King Diamond often made clear in interviews, it’s ultimately about questioning authority and doing what thou wilt as long as it’s not hurting anyone else. Our individual lived realities and beliefs can be different, and that’s ok; just don’t be an asshole.

My first actual King Diamond album was Abigail. It was also my first concept album. I can't even begin to explain the impact this album had on me. It's more akin to a revelation than anything rational, but it definitely changed my life for the reasons mentioned above re: In the Shadows and much, much more. A horror story set to music, I'd often listen to it, along with Them and The Eye, at night. It was like the King himself was singing me nightmarish bedtime stories as I drifted off to sleep, transporting me into supernatural worlds where I could temporarily escape from the pressures of being an awkward teen who never quite fit in. Later, I'd go on to realize that women play a prominent role in many (if not most) of his concept albums; and that regardless of whether they're the hero, villain, or victim, they're always powerful in their own right.

I was known throughout my high school years for my obsession with King Diamond. His music and persona became a part of my identity. From there, I'd later go on to fall in love with black metal, which bands like Mercyful Fate helped to inspire. Seeing him live and getting the chance to meet him was an amazing experience, an experience my younger self would have sold his soul for. Today, I met one of my heroes, and arguably one of the greatest musicians, artists, and storytellers of my generation.